Dentistry is a branch of medicine that consists of the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral cavity, commonly in the dentition but also the oral mucosa, and of adjacent and related structures and tissues, particularly in the maxillofacial (jaw and facial) area.
Although primarily associated with teeth among the general public, the field of dentistry or dental medicine is not limited to teeth but includes other aspects of the craniofacial complex including the temperomandibular and other supporting structures. Dentistry is often also understood to subsume the now largely defunct medical specialty of stomatology (the study of the mouth and its disorders and diseases) for which reason the two terms are used interchangeably in certain regions.
Dentistry is important to one's overall health. Dental treatments are carried out by a dental team, often consisting of a dentist and dental auxiliaries—dental assistants, dental hygienists, dental technicians, as well as dental therapists. Most dentists either work in private practices (primary care), dental hospitals or institutions such as prisons, armed forces bases, and the like (secondary care).
The history of dentistry is almost as ancient as the history of humanity and civilization with the earliest evidence dating from 7000 BC. Remains from the early Harappan periods of the Indus Valley Civilization (c. 3300 BC) show evidence of teeth having been drilled dating back 9,000 years. It is thought that dental surgery was the first specialization from medicine.
When performing dental procedures on a patient, dental practitioners typically assume a standing posture above a patient in a dental chair. The dental practitioner must position their head at a downward angle in order to gain a proper view of the patient and the procedure area. As a result, the neck and back of the practitioner is placed under strain, producing discomfort, pain, and potentially chronic muscular or spinal conditions. To alleviate these conditions, many dentists use loupes.
Generally, a loupe is a simple, small magnification device used to see small details more clearly. Loupes can be very beneficial to dental professionals to enhance surgical precision while performing a procedure. As dental professionals use both hands in performing dental procedures, dental loupes are typically binocular in configuration and typically take the form of a pair of glasses. Some dental loupes are flip-type, which take the form of two small cylinders, one in front of each lens of the glasses. Other types are inset within the lens of the glasses. A typical magnification for use in dentistry is 2.5×, but dental loupes can be anywhere in the range from 2× to 8× magnification. Loupes, in addition to providing viewing magnification, can also improve dentists' posture which can decrease occupational strain. With typical flip down style loupes, the viewing angle for the dentist is about 15 degrees, but the field of view is narrow and far from the pupil. While this is an improvement over not using loupes at all, the individual still needs to tilt their head at an angle to properly view the procedure area. A human head can weigh anywhere from five pounds to 11 pounds, and if kept in a relatively static position for extended period of time, pain will occur. This can decrease career longevity.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to introduce ergonomic loupes for use in dentistry and other applicable fields that allows the user to maintain their neck and back in a fully upright posture while allowing the user to properly view their surgical working area without having to tilt their head away from the neutral vertical orientation, thus improving the surgeon's ergonomics and prolonging their career.